Wiz and Curren$y aren't present for most of "Live In Concert," and when they are, it's not their best showing.

Back in 2009, August 9th to be exact, Curren$y and Wiz Khalifa dropped their collaborative project, How Fly, and their cult followers—The Jets and Taylor Gang respectively—rejoiced. Since then, both have seen their own solo success, and launched their own labels. Live In Concert brings the new age “Doobie Brothers” back together in an attempt to rekindle the magic they found back in 2009. While the project originally ran into roadblocks last year due to sample clearances, fans of the two emcees can finally celebrate the reunion of Spitta and Wiz for an entire project. The question is, was it worth the wait?

Those looking for this project to be How Fly all over again may be in for a letdown for several reasons. For starters, How Fly was released as a free project, with 15 tracks. Live In Concert is a retail EP, with six tracks. It’s safe to assume the price tag is at least in some way connected to the aforementioned sample clearance issues and the pair’s newfound interest in Jazz flutist Bobbi Humphrey. Live In Concert is Jazz-inspired, with samples to match. While the sonic choices are definitely on point, Wiz and Spitta’s performances seem phoned in. Both do a good job of staying on pace with the beat for the little time they spend on each track, but the wordplay Curren$y is known for seems nonexistent, as is Wiz’s sing-songy flow and melodic hooks. It’s seems as if at least half of each track on this six song project is spent listening to the sample. On “Revenge And Cake,” which samples Humphrey’s “Sweeter Than Sugar,” Wiz doesn’t appear on the track until the 1:28 mark. After a 45-second verse, the sample plays until Curren$y arrives at the 2:45 mark for another 45-second verse; you’re left with the sample for the rest of the track. While this isn’t something normally focused on in reviews, with a five-minute track only featuring the emcees for a minute-and-a-half, on a six-track project, you really have to wonder how much effort was put into the making of said project. For the most part, all the songs on the EP fit this mold.

While you only get so much Curren$y on Live In Concert, on “Toast,” which features another Humphrey sample (this time, it’s “Mestizo Eyes”), he displays a little of his talents, with wordplay and car talk for the whip fanatics, rhyming, “Get it done when the time is crunch like sit-ups / To the challenge I rise, Lamborghini doors / ‘85 Countach never seen a real road / From the show room floor, to my seven car garage / Got a storage cross town, with like seven more rides, tucked inside / The Grand Theft Auto life / Rolling up in my safe house, I’m looking down / Done it by my design, refusing to compromise…”

If the goal of Live In Concert was simply to set the mood for April 20th, the sample choices probably accomplished the goal for most. Those looking for How Fly 2, or simply a project showcasing what Khalifa and Curren$y do best are bound to be let down. The two rappers aren’t even present for most of the EP, and when they are, it’s not their best showing.

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34 Comments

austin

Awesome review guys.
If you guys are Wiz and Curren$y fan and want to take a look at our review, please feel free to check out our site. http://mindlify.com/slims-take-live-concert-ep/ - we are hip hop heads here at mindlify, but just love to share our view on all types of music ranging from country to heavy metal rap. Our site focuses on Mind, Body, and Soul practices to help promote happiness to all. Music plays a huge role in peoples' lives, so we're trying to share our view on artists and also promote the sell of their music. If you have any questions, please feel free to shoot us an e-mail and register for our site. www.mindlify.com - where music runs in our veins.

DJ YT

Matt

was chilling in the international airport in atlanta about to head to amsterdam & i figured it was the perfect time to buy this from itunes. of course, it was different from how fly, but boy, it was good. this was my soundtrack the whole trip. its easy listening, good travel music & is bound to brighten your mood when out & about. and since it's only 6 songs, you can easily put it on repeat & keep on bumpin the tunes. i love music with real instruments. i loved it.

Bre

I love it : ) .. I feel this music comes from waaaay back and thats the kind of music that made it what it is now so I think wiz and curren$y did a great job reminding people where we came from .. ik music was made by the blues and slaves? I think but I just love it

Just enjoy this shit

Just enjoy this shit

Lol I'm starting to think did Bruce smith even listen to how fly because they let the instrumental play out on plenty of songs...only difference is this time sometimes they let the instrumental play out in between verses instead of at the end of the song(drunk dialing, s.d.l., rolling up, etc) i actually like love in concert better because of the heavy jazz influence....

anthony

Onflightmae

I respect the tape. It is completely it's own. To me the tape describes wiz and spitta not only as artist but as individuals. It's smooth, and jazzy and more complex than people might think. It will get through the test of time. Unlike most mainstream artists and their repetitive sounds and rhythms.

RG

yoy

ESTEBAN

NOT WHAT I EXPECTED AT ALL. WIZ IS TRYING TO CHANGE HIS FLOW I APPRECIATE THE CREATIVENESS, CURREN$Y WAS GOOD I ONLY REALLY LIKED 2 SONGS I WISH THEY WOULD'VE DELIVERED WHAT THE FANS WERE LOOKING FR I WAS A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED.

Chief Merkh

It isn't exactly what I expected, but it's undeniably that raw audio dope! This shit made my day on 4/20, and it's the best shit to start your day to. Fuck the bs, just vibe to this on your way to school or work in the morning. Shits dope.

ht

meso

foreal

i like curren$y but refuse to listen to this album because of Wiz. He is so lame and raps about the same stuff. "i smoke weed and live the high roller lifestyle", it gets tiring to listen to after a while

ark

Yeah, but atleast he's original with his lyrics. I swear Wiz is saying the same shit in every fucking song. Yes, you rich, yes you famous, yes you smoke weed. Plus, his singing is annoying as fuck. Dude fell the fuck off.

nah, B

RG

That's what happens when you gain enough notoriety to get sued. Gotta go through that approval process at every step. Based on the "Preview #4" video for this EP on YouTube, it sounds like the artists/labels that owned the samples demanded to hear it in it's final form before they would approve it. There is even a track that didn't make the cut (in that video as well) because they wouldn't allow the lyrics in the song.